Valentine Notes
by Swag Giraffe
Summary: The children of Castanet Island prepare for Valentine's Day. An Animal Parade next-gen one-shot, main couples Gill/Molly, Kevin/Renee, rival couples, and various child couples. Happy Valentine's Day!


**Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!**

**Here's a one-shot I wrote for the occasion. :D I really hope y'all like it! It was quite a bit of work, ehehe... **

**And I'd like to thank my very best friend ever for all the help he gave me. :D I don't think I could have done this without his help, or at the very least it wouldn't have been as good. :) Thanks! ^V^ (He knows who he is, heehee. :) ;))**

**Anyhoo, enjoy, and I hope your Valentine's Day is a great one! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing Harvest Moon related, it belongs to Natsume. Besides, if I owned it, Bo would be a marriage candidate! :D**

* * *

"Now remember," Gill Hamilton spoke as he straightened papers on his desk. "Valentine's day is tomorrow, and you are welcome to exchange gifts at school. Just not _during_ class." He sent a pointed look towards a brown haired boy, who shrank in his seat, grinning guiltily.

The man ran a hand through his gelled blond hair, "Class dismissed."

Whoops and hollers sounded from the brown haired ten year old as he dashed from the building. The teacher quirked an eyebrow, then shook his head, smiling gently. "Boys."

"It's alright, Dad. I like school." Gill looked down to see his twelve year old son smiling up at him, his dark blond hair a mess.

The man nodded, patting the boy on the head, "That you do, Jonah. But you better go home and do your chores, or you won't have time to make valentines later. And I know you want to." He winked a blue eye, sparkling with mischief.

His son fidgeted, throwing a glance over his shoulder, "Shh, Dad, she might hear you…" He trailed off as he kept gazing over his shoulder, a blush crawling over his childish face.

Gill followed his son's gaze and smirked. "Alright, Jonah." His son was staring at a brunette as she gathered her books, humming a soft tune. Her dark curls bounced around her shoulders, and honey colored eyes shone.

She looked so like her parents. The dark haired couple, Renee and Kevin, living on Horn Ranch with the woman's parents, helping take care of the many animals. Her honey colored eyes were inherited from her father, although the slightly lighter shade of her hair was definitely like her mother's.

"Have fun making valentines for Elsie," He teased, looking back down at his son.

The boy whipped his head back around to glare pleadingly at his father, and Gill finally felt a twinge of guilt. "Dad!"

"Okay okay, go on home, Mama's probably waiting." Gill chuckled as his son sped for the door, slowing only to bid Elsie farewell, and dash out the door in a flurry of embarrassment.

Gill laughed as he waited for the last students to filter out. The boy was so like his mother. Easily embarrassed, sensitive, and rather talkative. But smart. Like him. The mayor's son smirked and waved at Elsie, the last student to leave the building.

"Goodbye, Mr. Gill!" She called out happily.

"Have a good day, Elsie." He smiled. "Don't forget your spelling book tomorrow."

The forgetful girl flushed. "I-I won't!"

Gill nodded, "Good, good. Head on home now, Elsie."

"Oh. Um, right! Bye!" And with a final wave, the twelve year old fled.

Gill laughed loudly once she was gone. That girl… every day she forgot something. Books, pencils, you name it and she'd left it at home. He remembered a time recently when the girl had forgotten her lunch, and his son had snapped up the opportunity gladly, gifting her his own.

Standing, the man prepared for his second round of students. The little ones of Castanet Island.

* * *

"Mama, I'm home!" Jonah threw his rucksack on his bed and rushed back out into the kitchen.

"Oh, good." A brunette smiled at him from the kitchen, where she was busy putting a jacket onto a squirming six year old girl. "I'm about to send Ruby off to school, but the turnips and tulips need watered. Think you can do that for me?"

"Sure!" The boy put his hand on the knob of the door, smiling at the noise that followed him out into the crisp Spring air.

"Mama, I want my _pink_ jacket!"

"But Ruby dearest, you're wearing red today…"

"But I want the PINK one!"

"Oh, don't be so particular, or I'll keep you at home!"

"No no, Mama, I want to go to school! I promised Dakota we'd talk about our _valentines_!"

Jonah chuckled and shut the door behind himself, effectively blocking out the whining of his little sister.

Wandering over to the plot of land near the house, he frowned. "Um… watering can! Right! In the shed…" Trotting over to the lean-to beside the poultry coop, he dug around for a watering can before shouting in triumph, pulling the tool out. "Here we are."

He started the long task of watering the ten rows of turnips and six rows of tulips. Mulling over his homework in his head, he almost poured water onto a pair of brown shoes standing right in front of him. Startled, he looked up, meeting the gaze of a grinning Elsie.

"Hey Jonah!"

He reeled back, caught completely off guard. "Ack! Elsie! How many times do I have to tell you not to scare me like that when I'm focused?"

"Sorry sorry!" The girl apologized quickly, the grin not leaving her face.

Jonah grumbled that it was fine, face red, and went back to his watering, glancing uneasily up at her every few seconds.

"Did you need something?"

The girl's lips parted to answer, but the door of the house slamming interrupted, and a pink and yellow blur whizzed past the field, barreling toward Harmonica Town.

"Have fun at school, Ruby!" Jonah called out to his sister, who didn't seem to hear him as she rushed down the dirt road.

Looking up at Elsie, he shrugged awkwardly. "Ah well. So, did you need something?"

Elsie took a deep breath to speak, but then the door to the house was heard again, and her gaze snapped from Jonah to the house.

"A-Ah, hello Mrs. Hamilton!"

Molly Hamilton smiled, "Hello Elsie! My my, what a surprise. Was there something you needed?"

The brunette clasped her hands together, shaking her head, cheeks red. "N-No, nothing! I just, um… wanted to wish Jonah good luck… um… with his watering! Yeah! So, um… good luck Jonah!" And with that, the girl gripped the rucksack slung over her shoulder, bolting away and down the dirt road in the opposite direction Ruby had gone, heading to Flute Fields.

Jonah tilted his head to the side, blond locks falling in front of his dark blue eyes. "Well that was odd… don't you think, Mama? Mama?"

His mother stood, looking down the road where Elsie had gone, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"Um… Mama?"

Molly finally realized her son was talking to her, and smiled. "Well, girls do odd things pretty often, hm?"

Jonah snorted, "I'll say. Last week, Lucy said she dropped her pencil. But it landed by _Roy's_ desk. Which is on the other side of the room! I think she threw it."

Molly chuckled, shaking her head, "That Lucy's a wild one. Well, finish your watering so you can get your homework done."

Nodding, her son returned obediently to his chore, leaving her free to go let the livestock out of the barn to graze. As he poured water onto the last row of turnips, his thoughts wandered back to Elsie. What could she have wanted?

* * *

"MAMA! I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE!" Elsie flopped onto her bed as she shouted through the house, burying her face in her pillow. _I didn't tell him…_

"Elsie? Is that you?" A sweet, soft, woman's voice was heard in the hallway, and her door creaked open.

"Yes, Mama, it's me…" The girl sounded miserable as she spoke into her pillow, not lifting her head.

Renee smiled at her petite daughter, sitting beside her on the bed. "What's wrong, love?"

Elsie's voice was still muffled against her blue pillow, "Nothing…"

"Of course. And that's why you screamed for me as soon as you entered the house?" Elsie flushed guiltily at her mother's words, but, luckily for her, the pillow protected her face from being seen. "So dramatic, just like your father…"

"Who, Papa, dramatic? Naw." Elsie shook her head, nestling it further into the pillow.

"Oh yes he is. He proposed to me during the race at the Animal Festival. He even jumped off his horse onto my sheep. Really. He's always had a bit of a dramatic streak." The woman smiled at the memory, and stroked her daughter's hair. "Now Elsie, what's wrong?"

Tentatively, the twelve year old rolled onto her back, puffing dark hair from her eyes. "Everything. I couldn't tell Jonah…"

Renee hid a smile. Of course it would be that. With Valentine's Day so near, the girl had become desperate. '_What if Angie likes him and confesses first?!'_ She'd panicked. "Why couldn't you?"

"Because we were interrupted. First Ruby, then his mother…"

"Ah. And you just can't tell a boy you like him with his mother there, now can you?"

"Mama!" Elsie wailed, and Renee raised her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, I'm just teasing!" She dropped her hands, folding them in her lap. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Elsie stared at the ceiling, shrugging. "I dunno… wait… I GOT IT!" Her shriek and the violent way she threw herself off her bed startled her quiet mother, who hopped off the bed and looked at the girl curiously.

Eyebrows furrowed in determination, tongue sticking out from between her two rosy lips, the girl scrambled around her bedroom, collecting things. "I'll just make him the best valentine ever!"

Renee smiled. "Alright then. Good luck." And with that, she left her daughter throwing things out of a box full of crafting materials, closing the door softly.

She wandered back to the kitchen, where she found her husband rifling through the refrigerator. "Kevin," She started in an accusing tone.

The man jumped six inches in the air, grinning guiltily back at her. "Ahaha, hey Renee!"

Renee shook her head, "What are you doing? I'm working on supper, you know."

"I know…" The man scratched his head sheepishly, "But I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry." His wife swept past him, and he whimpered.

"Aw, come on Renee, you know how I get when I'm hungry…"

"Whiny? Desperate?" The woman stifled a giggle as her husband sat at the table, deflated.

"Why so cruel…" He moaned, and Renee set a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in front of him.

"Shh, just this once." She winked and he grinned.

"It's always 'just this once'."

Renee shrugged innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about…"

Chuckling, Kevin began to munch on his 'secret' snack, glancing up at Renee as she tied an apron around her waist. "So, what's up with Elsie?"

"Oh, you know, not much." The woman turned to pull some veggies from the fridge, "Just boy trouble."

Her husband choked, spewing cookie across the room. "_Boy_ trouble?! W-What boy? Where?! I'll kill him if he touches my precious little girl!" He leapt from his chair, and Renee put both hands on his shoulder, shoving him back down.

"Oh no you won't. She really likes this one. I don't think she took to kindly to your death glares at Roy, you know." She gave him a pointed look, and the man scratched his head sheepishly.

"Ahaha… b-but she _liked_ him!"

"Exactly! And you're not going to ruin this one, so I won't tell you who the boy is unless you promise not to touch him. Or give him dirty looks. Or anything!"

Kevin crossed his arms, "Fine, fine. Who is it?!"

Renee smirked as she turned her back, chopping carrots. "Jonah Hamilton."

"WHAT?!" Kevin leapt from his chair again, face red with rage. "That… that _teacher's_ son dares to like my daughter?! Why I'll-"

"Would you let me finish?" Renee quirked an eyebrow over her shoulder at him, and he blinked at her blankly.

"Oh. Fine then." With a huff, he sat back down.

"Thank you." Renee tossed the diced carrots into a pot on the stove, slowly slicing up some bell peppers. "Well, it's not really about him, actually. It's her. She's determined to tell him how she feels, but I think she's too scared. And no, he hasn't said anything." She glared at her husband, attempting to prevent another outburst.

It worked. Kevin just hunched in his chair, muttering about how he shouldn't have promised anything, and light footsteps caught his attention.

Elsie trotted into the room, face aglow, with smudges of glitter and paint. "Mama, do you think Jonah will like red or blue better?"

"Hm, I don't know. His eyes are blue," Renee said, biting her lip to avoid bursting into laughter at her husband's shocked expression.

Elsie's eyes widened, "Oh, that's right! Thanks, Mama!" The girl ran out of the room giddily, and Renee smiled.

Kevin suddenly looked very tired, and looked at Renee. "I'm gonna go curry comb the horses."

"Good idea." Renee smirked as the man stood and exited the house, muttering about evil holidays.

* * *

"And school was _awesome_!" Ruby chattered at the dinner table, meal completely ignored. "And Dakota says she's _sure_ that Aden will be her valentine. I mean, come on, he was looking at her in school!"

"Um, they were assigned to work on a project together…" Gill offered, but his little daughter waved her hand, blonde curls bouncing.

"Oh no, I'm sure it wasn't because of that, Daddy." She shook her head knowingly, "Oh no no no."

Jonah hid a smile behind his hand. Six year olds think they know _everything_.

"Oh, and Daddy, do you think it would be okay if I stayed up late to make my valentines?" Ruby blinked her large, chocolate colored eyes at her father pleadingly.

Gill chuckled, avoiding eye contact. "The puppy eyes aren't working today, Ruby. Bedtime as usual."

"Aww…" Deflated, the girl sulked in her seat, crossing her arms. "But Dakota is! Her daddy says she can stay up tonight."

Her father shook his head, "I think that's Chase's problem, not mine."

"Humph. But Daaaaddy," Ruby began to whine, "I have to make my valentine for Heath super special!"

Gill's fork froze on it's way to his mouth. "Heath…?" He asked slowly.

"Yeah!" Ruby finally found her appetite and munched on her stir fry. "He's gonna be my special valentine!"

"B-But you're six!" Her father sputtered, laying his fork down before he could drop it.

"Yeah, so?! It's not about how _old_ you are, Daddy." The girl clasped her hands and spoke in her wisest tone of voice. "When true love hits you, you just know. And you don't want my true love to be taken by some _other_ girl, do you?!" She began to make her doe-eyes again, and Gill snorted.

"They can have him…" He muttered.

"Gill!" Molly reprimanded him, and he frowned.

"What?!"

"It's okay, Mommy." Ruby nodded knowingly, "Daddy just doesn't appreciate that I have found my true love."

Jonah could finally take it no longer burst into laughter, doubling over and laying his head on the table.

"Don't laugh, Jonah! I am serious here!" Ruby's serious face consisted of attempting to mimic her father's usual neutral face, and failing miserably, causing her lips to curl downward at odd angles and her eyes to be squinty.

"Hahahaha!" Jonah rolled off his chair, "P-Please, I can't take it anymore, Ruby… t-t-t-that face!"

Ruby pouted, "Well I don't see what's so funny! You know how I feel, don't you Mommy?"

"Of course dearest." Molly smiled at her little daughter, secretly biting the inside of her cheek.

"Jonah's just laughing because he doesn't _have_ a special valentine!" Ruby pointed accusingly at her brother, writhing on the floor, and he ceased his laughing.

"Um…" Glancing up at his family, the boy shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say Ruby. I'm finished." He stood and picked up his dishes, carrying them to the sink.

"Don't forget to wash them~!" Ruby chirped, picking up more food on her fork and dropping it into her mouth.

Jonah rolled his eyes and obediently washed his dishes. Once they were safely tucked away into the cabinet, he walked past his family. "I'm going to my room…" He said softly.

"A-Alright…" Molly watched him go, and turned to Ruby, innocently stuffing her face. "What was that about?"

Gill smiled gently. "Ah, nothing he can't handle."

Ruby munched on her supper, stating matter-of-factly, "Oh Mommy, he's just jealous of me. Ah, jealousy…" Shrugging, the six year old put more food in her mouth. "He'll get over it."

* * *

Jonah glared at the papers scattered all over his desk, some crumpled, some with words that had been scratched out, and one blank sheet, right in front of him. "I will succeed…" He muttered through clenched teeth, running a hand through his blond hair. And, although he didn't know it, a girl on the other side of the island was saying the same thing to herself, frowning at a desk covered in paint.

* * *

A nine year old girl in a purple floral bandana, matching the color of her hair, grinned smugly. "I gave Roy a valentine on the way to school. More private, you know. That way I don't have to do it with _everyone_ in the school present."

Elsie fidgeted uncomfortably at her friend's bragging. Class was about to start, and she had the strangest feeling she'd forgotten something very important. Biting her lip, she rummaged through her rucksack, mentally checking off everything she needed. _Books, pencils, lunch… notebook… and gift for Mr. Hamilton._ Scratching her head, she frowned, trying to remember what it was. "Hm..."

Gill stood, papers in hand. "Alright class, today we w-"

"OH NO!" Elsie leapt out of her seat, horror written on every inch of her face. Slowly, as she noticed everyone gawking at her, she blushed deeply, embarrassed. "Oh, um… I-I have to go home, Mr. H-Hamilton! I forgot something important!"

Gill sighed patiently, "Is it something that someone else c-"

"No no, i-it's one of a kind. I mean, no one else has it. I mean… no. I-I have to go home." Tears welled up in her honey eyes, and she blinked them away. _Crying? Really?_

Gill blinked, slightly confused. "Um, alright Elsie, you m-"

The sound of the schoolhouse door slamming answered his unfinished permission, and he sighed. "Alright class, today we're starting with your spelling test results…"

Elsie rocketed through Harmonica Town and onto the dirt road that led to Flute Fields, the region of the island where she lived. Her family's farm was tucked far back into the fields, so she had no time to spare. As she passed Jonah's house, the halfway point, she waved to Molly and Ruby, who were brushing a large black cow.

"Hello Mrs. Hamilton, Ruby!" Without pausing to hear if they answered, Elsie tore on, her lungs screaming for air. Finally, as she passed the small beach just past the Hamilton's farm, she slowed, gulping in air.

_Jonah's valentine. I have to get it! It took forever!_ Stumbling along at a half-run, Elsie took deep, rasping breaths. "Okay, okay… let's go!" Sprinting again, Elsie bolted across the bridge to Flute Fields, tripping. Muttering, she stood, brushed off her skirt, frowned at her skinned knee, and kept running.

Tearing into her house, she scrambled past her grandmother, breathlessly calling out a greeting.

"What's wrong, Elsie? Did they expel you?" Hanna joked, craning her head to see the girl bolt into the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

"No no, Granny, I just forgot something!" Sprinting past her little brother in his bedroom, Elsie pulled open the door to her bedroom, the innocent little valentine laying on her bed. Snatching it up, she tucked it into the pocket of her jacket, nestling it carefully. Satisfied that it would not get destroyed, she started her wild trip back to the school.

* * *

Jonah stared up at the blackboard distractedly, fiddling with the note in his pocket. His father droned on about the history of Castanet, and Jonah glanced over to see Roy snoring softly, drooling on his desk. Hiding a smirk, he was thankful he didn't hate school. Lucy was frowning at the brown haired boy across the room, and Jonah allowed himself a low chuckle. Everyone knew that the purple haired daughter of Castanet's carpenter, Luke, and dancer, Selena, had a thing for Kathy and Owen's son.

Jonah looked over at Elsie's vacant desk, frowning slightly. Where could she have gone... ? She'd been gone for almost half an hour. What had she forgotten? Suddenly an idea came to him, and he grinned. Glancing up at his father, whose back was turned writing something on the board, he stood and tiptoed quickly over to the girl's desk. Pulling his simple, folded note from his pocket, he laid it on her desk along with a tulip from his mother's garden, scampering back over to his seat before he could be spotted.

Outside the schoolhouse sat a brunette. She wiped her sweaty palms against her skirt to dry them off, and stood. "Okay, okay… go in… pretend you forgot a… um.. a… an… eraser?" Shaking her head, she chastised herself. "I should've thought of this earlier… hmm…" Shrugging, she put a hand on the knob of the school door. "Just… be normal. Yes. Normal normal normal."

Entering the school, she saw Roy drooling on his desk, Jonah fidgeting and watching his father boredly, Van and Angie whispering, and Lucy glaring at Roy.

Her gaze flickered to Jonah, looking at the back of his head. His hair even looked good from the back… after a moment, though, she knew she'd stood there too long when he glanced back and saw her. He started, blinked, and quickly turned his head back around, posture erect and gaze directed at the teacher.

Elsie felt her face grow hot and her hands started sweating again. Head down, she darted to her desk, one hand digging in the rucksack slung over her chair.

"Ah, Elsie. Get what you needed?" Gill's kind voice floated back to her, and she nodded, holding up an eraser.

"Yes, Mr. Gill, sir. F-Forgot my eraser!" She smiled, hand shaking as she held up the object of her lame excuse.

Gill shook his head, "I really don't think that should've been such a big deal… but whatever you need, I suppose." He returned to his lesson, and Elsie breathed deeply.

"Phew…" Her relief was short-lived, however, when she saw a white piece of paper folded on her desk, on top of her spelling test (which, she noticed, was an eighty-two - her parents would not be pleased), and a perfect red tulip. She tilted her head, confused. Where could it have come from? She picked up the tulip, eying the teacher, and sniffed it. Tulips were her favorite flower.

Glancing again at Gill, she picked up the note in shaking fingers, nearly dropping it twice. _W-Who could have put this here…?_ Flitting her gaze about the room, she took in the snoring Roy, whispering Van, and Jonah, whose eyes were glued to his father. _Well, I guess I should read it then… m-maybe it'll say who it's from?_ Taking a deep breath, she opened the note with shaky hands, and read the beautiful, curly script.

_Dearest Elsie,_

_Roses are red,_

_and violets are blue._

_But both pale in beauty,_

_when put next to you._

_Love, _

_wait, no, not LOVE, um… okay, whatever. _

_Love, _

_Jonah _

_P.S. You're amazing, by the way. Y-You know, in case you didn't get that from the rhyme. Happy Valentine's Day._

Elsie sat frozen, jaw open. And sat. And sat. Unmoving. She felt the strangest sensation… like her heart was trying to leap out her throat, and he hands began to sweat even more. They were shaking like leaves, and she soon realized that her entire _body_ was shaking uncontrollably. Tears flooded her eyes, and she stared blankly at the note. _Love, Jonah._

It was from Jonah. He liked her too. It sank in slowly. Jonah liked her. Enough to tell her, in a very sweet and heartfelt note. She shook her head, trying to clear it, but to no avail. She felt sick. Very, very sick. Like she was going to vomit. From… happiness? Can you vomit from happiness? Sh stopped asking herself questions, because the tears pricking at her eyes were now clawing at her throat, begging to be released.

Without a word, she shoved the note in her pocket and stood quickly, knocking over her chair.

"Elsie?" Gill turned in surprise to see the girl sprint from the school, as if chased by demons. Frowning, he debated following her, but decided against it, continuing his lesson.

Jonah turned and looked at the door. Had she seen his note? He'd been too terrified to look over at her. Throwing a glance at her desk, he saw the tulip sitting alone with her spelling test. No note.

_Oh great. S-She saw it…_ Biting his lip, he looked at the door again. _M-Maybe it upset her?! I should have known she didn't like me…_

Frowning, he looked up at his father, teaching a lesson that obviously none of the children cared about. _Would he notice if I left…? Yeah. Would he care?_ Weighing his options in his head, the boy came to a decision. Standing softly, he tiptoed to the door and pulled it open, exiting as quietly as he could.

But Gill saw. He smiled, and let well alone. He figured it wasn't his problem. He could deal with it afterward, if need be.

* * *

Elsie sobbed in the small schoolyard, face muffled by her jacket. _Why are you crying, stupid?! You're happy! HAPPY! _She let out a squeal, stuffing the fabric in her mouth to silence the noise. _He likes me, he likes me~!_ Drying her eyes and sniffling, she grinned. _He likes me…_ She laid down her jacket and clapped loudly and excitedly, looking for some way to spend the energy she felt filled with all of a sudden. Her entire body was shaking like a leaf, and her heart pounded so loudly that the only things she could hear were it and her blood rushing. She felt dizzy, and ecstatic, and sick, and better than she'd ever felt in her life. She felt like she could jump off the pier and swim all the way to Toucan Island!

A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she jumped up, startled, whirling around.

"J-Jonah?!" She choked.

The blond boy bit his lip guiltily. "Were you crying…?" He asked in a low voice.

Reaching up to touch, her face, Elsie's heart fluttered. "O-Oh no, I-I wasn't. I'm fine. It's fine. I, um… j-just… yawned! Yeah!" She opened her mouth wide in a fake yawn, nodding. "I-It makes my eyes water."

Jonah smiled, looking incredibly relieved. "Oh, good. I thought I'd upset you… y-you know… with th-the note…"

Elsie fingered the note in her pocket, face hot. Why was her face so hot?! She felt like it was going to explode from the intense blush that graced her features. "A-Ah, that… no no, i-it didn't upset me. It's fine. You're fine. I mean… um… i-i-it was nice. Thank you…" She trailed off softly, staring at her feet.

Jonah grinned like an idiot. _She liked it. Yes!_ "Excuse me for a moment, please…" He requested.

"O-Okay…" Elsie's chocolate gaze never left her shoes.

Jonah bolted. He ran down to the dock, grinning down at the waves. "YEEEESSSS!" An ear-splitting shout rang out over the calm ocean, and he leapt in the air, pumping his fists excitedly. He felt his whole body shaking, and grabbed a lamp post nearby to steady himself. His heart thumped in his chest, and he nodded. "I did it… she knows… I did it!" His grin was out of control, and he sank to his knees, legs shaking too badly to hold his weight. "Okay, alright, breath… oh! Elsie!" Flushing guiltily, he jumped up and ran back up the shore town's cobbled streets to the school.

Slowing at the school gate, he strolled up to Elsie, who still stood, frozen, staring at the ground. "Ahem. Sorry about that."

Elsie looked up at his voice, her pretty face still dusted with red. "I-It's fine…" She mumbled, looking at the ground again.

Jonah bit his lip and stood awkwardly for a couple minutes. "So... " He started, "Wha-"

"Here!" He looked down in surprise to see Elsie shove a blue piece of paper toward him, her eyes squeezed closed. "Th-th-th-this is f-for you!"

Smiling down at the paper, his heart thudded into his ears and filled them with the sound of it's beating.

_It's for you,_ it said.

_It's a valentine,_ it said.

_Take it, idiot! _It said.

Hand sweating and shaking, Jonah reached out and took the paper, hand brushing against Elsie's. "Th-Thank you, Elsie…" He said softly.

The girl nodded, her brown curls bouncing. "Y-Y-You're welcome!" And with that, she ran off.

Jonah frowned in confusion. Then he shrugged, "Girls." He caressed the dark blue paper in his hands for a moment before unfolding it and reading, breathing shallow.

_Dear Jonah,_

_You know, on Valentine's Day, people give gifts and notes to people they like… and… um… aack, why is this so hard?!_

_I'm giving you a valentine. ...Yup. I am. (Ah, I should just scrap this one…)_

_You know what that means, right? Right?! _

_Oh man, I guess I'm gonna have to say it… I-I guess writing it isn't as hard as saying it… right? _

… _Then why haven't I written it yet?! Ack, this is so long… I-I'm sorry… it's just…_

_I like you, Jonah. A lot. More than the tulips in the springtime, and more than my favorite chicken, Dolly. More than anything. _

_...Yup. That's it. Sorry this note is so long… it's just kinda how I wrote it… and if I didn't give you this, I would never have given you anything at all… because I'm a coward._

_Lots of love,_

_Elsie.  
_

Jonah's face slowly split into a grin, eyes wide. His shaking knees buckled, and he knelt in the grass, the spring breeze ruffling his blond hair. He read the note again. And again. And a fourth time. His heart thumped in his ears, and his hands were sweating uncontrollably.

She liked him too. The relief that flooded his entire being was overwhelming, and he sat silently in the grass, having trouble fully grasping it. She liked him too. Ah, it felt so good! He wasn't sure what he would have done if she had rejected him… maybe died. Was that too dramatic? He didn't know, nor did he care. She liked him back, and that's all that mattered to him.

Elsie hoped he liked her note, stupid as it was. Was it good enough?! No, nothing was good enough for him… he was too amazing. And his note was so polite… and then the mess that was her note… ugh, it was terrible! She felt her stomach churning and willed herself not to vomit. It couldn't be that bad… right? She snuck back to the school grounds, peeking around the corner. There sat Jonah, her note cradled in his hands, staring at it vacantly, a smile playing on his lips. She smiled, relieved. At least she knew he felt the same way. Leaning against the fence around the school, she slid down to sit on the cobblestones, unsure if she'd ever feel normal enough to walk again, heart pounding so loudly she was sure the seagulls flying overhead could hear it.

* * *

"And Heath agreed to be my special valentine! He even gave me a hug," Ruby explained at dinner, spearing a piece of herb fish with her fork. "And I bet Jonah is real jealous. Right, Jonah?"

But the boy was paying no heed to his talkative little sister, a different girl on his mind.

Molly frowned and glanced at Gill. He smiled at her, mouthing _tell you later_.

The woman nodded, turning her attention back to her daughter.

"Jonah, are you jealous?!"

Finally, Jonah snapped out of his reverie long enough to smile at his little sister. "Oh yes, Ruby. Very jealous."

The girl nodded matter-of-factly, "Good. You should be."

The boy lapsed back into his dreaming state, forgetting the fact that he'd just lied to his little sister. It made her happy. Who cared? He certainly didn't. That day, he only cared about one thing.

A little, sweet, forgetful brunette named Elsie. Who was currently occupied screaming giddily into her pillow at home, door to her bedroom locked.

* * *

**And there you are! :D I hope you liked it, and pretty please drop a review! Good, bad, tips, anything. :) So mushy... ahaha... a lot of my stuff has been mushy lately. ^.^" Ah well!**

**I really hope you enjoyed the longest one-shot I've ever written, and have a great day! :)**

**~Swaggy-chan**


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